Scrap bunch feed



H. E. CARLSON SCRAP BUNCH FEED Sept. l2,

Filed June 18, 1932 .3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG- 7 "/FIGB FISQ SAW H. E. CARLSON SCRAP BUNCH FEED 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18 f NW mK mK L, my 1% amm w M, w

Sept. l2, 1933.

Sept. l2, 1933. H. E. cARLsoN SCRAP BUNCH FEED Patented Sept. 12, 1933r rAreNr-oFI-ICE SCRAP BUNCH FEED Hjalmar Erik Carlson, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery' Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 18, 1932. Y serial No. 618,070 2s claims. (c1. 1x1-42)y This invention relates to an improved filler` feed for cigar bunch `making machines, particularly for feeding scrap tobacco, itsr main object being to keep each measured bunch charge undercomplete control from thel time it is received. by the density measuring chamber of the bunch forming machine until it is delivered to the loop or bightof thechianti belt in which it is rolled in a binder to form a bunch. y With this and othercbjects not4 specifically mentioned in View, the invention consists in certain constructions hereinafter fully described and then specically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In former scrap bunch feeds, the charge, after it is measured, is taken trom the density measuring chamber to the chianti belt by a separate transfer' which, on turning into the Vertical position, throws the charge into the loop of the chianti belt, thereby disturbing its orderly arrangement and resulting in loose particles be-l tween the filler and the binderwhen the charge is rolled. To' overcome this disadvantage, the present filler feed ifs kdesigned to keep the measured charge conined while being transferred and until after'it has been inserted into the loop or the chianti belt, this object in the present invention being achieved by adapting the density measuring chamber itself to 'act as a transfer 'for the charge.

The improved density measuring Vchamber may be provided with a movable gate and is mounted on horizontal shafts carried b y a reciprocating trame and equipped with guides'in such a manner that on the downward movement of the said shafts the measuring y chamber turns from the horizontal tobacco-receiving position to the Vertical charge-delivering position, the said gate being so controlled by the charge-cutting knife and by suitable holding means that it closes the measl uring chamber immediately upon the knife sever- Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improved. scrap bunch feed equipped with the improved density measuring chamber;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the improved measuring chamber showing the means employed for effecting its vertical swinging transfer motion;

Fig. 3 isa detail side elevation of the gateoperating means taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the measuring 60 chamber taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the measuring chamber on line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 6 to 9 are side elevations of the measuring chamber in diiierent' positions of its transfer 65 motion, showing the operation of the chamberswinging and gate-actuating means;

Fig. 10 is a sectional end view of the feed-drum drive taken on line 10-10 of Fig. l;

Fig. 11 is a sectionalend elevation of the to- 70 bacco magazine, showing a modification of the device for feeding the tobacco therefrom;

Fig. y12 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1l; v

Fig. 13 is a sectional side elevation of the meas- 75 uring chamber, showing a modification in its' construction and in its operating means, takenon line -13-13 of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 14 is an end elevation of themodied measuring chamber shown in Fig. 13.

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided a density measuring chamber having a resiliently mounted wall, means for continuously feeding iiller tobacco into said chamberagainst said wall, a gate pivoted on saidchamber,` mechanism for cutting off the iiller in said chamber and swinging the gate into position to conne the severed charge in said chamber, and means actuated by said yielding wall forv stopping said feeding means when the ller tobacco in said chamber reaches a predetermined density. In the best forms of construction contemplated there is also provided a chianti belt, means for lowering said chamber into engagement with said belt and swinging it into charge ejecting position, and means for swinging said gate out of charge conning position to permit said Wall to eject the charge onto said belt. These various means and parts may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular dedescribed. Y

Referring toFig. l, the scrap filler tobacco T is placed in a feed hopper 10 which in the case illustrated is cylindrical and has -radial agitating rods 11 mounted on a hub 12 on' shaft 13 and rotated in the counter-'clockwise vdirection by a 110 24 which regulate the width of the feed channel for the length of the bunch to be made. The feed belt 22 is driven by a feed drum 25 on shaft 15 and vis guided by pulleys 26, 27, and 2.8. The

chains 23 run over sprockets 29, 30, and 31"'on,`

shafts 21, 32, and 33, respectively, and are tensioned by a roller .34 on arms 35,' and are driven by a gear 36 on shaft 32 meshing with a gear 37 on shaft 38 which is driven by a 15. A .1 j ,Y

The filler tobacco T, on leaving the feed belt 22, passes over the guide bar 49 surrounding the forward side of roll r 2S/'and forming a ledger plate chain 39 fromshaft lforthe knife 58 hereinafter described, and enters the density measuring chamber 4l in'which it movesr a-measuring wall 42against the pressure produced by anadjustable weight 48, as hereinafter described, the measuringwall 42 having attached to its guide rod 44- a nger 45 engaging with the endof a verticalarm 47 mounted on a shaft 4S which is supported by the frame of the bunch machine and carries en -crank arm 49 connected by a rod 59 to an arm 51 on shaft 52,011'

5. )which is fixedthe arm \53 carrying theweightV .1 stopping the motion of shaft 15.

43. When the tobacco T entering the chamber 4l has raised the Weight 43 to agiven height at which the chargef in chamber 4l" is of a predetermined density suitable for the bunches to be 4iliade, a cam 54 on shaft 52allows a spring 55 to release a pawl 56 held by the cam against a ratchet 5'7,Y loose on shaft 15 but connected with it through planetary gears, as hereinafter described, thereby releasing the said ratchet and Thereupon the knife 58, which is mounted on the verticallyrreciprocating knife frame 46 actuated by means hereinafter described, descends and cuts olf the charge. The cani 59on shaft 69,` driven by chain l'from thedrive-shaft 9 of the bunch machine,

by means of cam roller 62 and cam lever 63 fulcrumed onshaft 64 actuates the vertical sliding frame 65 which carries themeasuring chamber 41, causing the latter to swing downwards and form a loop 66 in the chianti belt 67, of a bunch rolling mechanism of the Well known chianti belt type, the loop 66 being formed between the end ofthe rolling-table 68 and the rolling-pin 69 by the descent of the measuring chamber.v When 60S the knife descends to cut the charge,`it closes the gate 70 of the measuring chamber, by' means hereinafter. described, so that the charge is confined in the chamber from the moment the latter commences its descending movement until it has I reached its discharge position 4l', in arriving at which the gate is automatically opened, by a device hereinafter described, so that the charge T maybe expelled into the loop of the chianti belt by spring 7l bearing against the measuring Wall The'pawl 56, which has` a-number of teeth fitting snugly into those of theratchet 57 to prevent )lost motion of the latter, Vis attached to a curved arm 107 pivoted on a stud 108 in the frame ofthe machinethearm 107 on its free end beyond the pivot carrying a roller 109. A

sprocket 110, Figs. l and 10, driven by chain 16 from the main shaft 9, is loose on shaft 15 and carries, loosely mounted on a stud 111 thereon, the

planetary gears v112 and 113 meshing with the sun gears 114 and 115 respectively on shaft 15, the former gear fast on shaft 15 and the latter integral' with 'ratchet 57. When the pavvlv 55 is lifted offV the ratchet 57 by the spring 55, as thel filler tobacco attains the-predetermined ,density in the chamber 41, the motion of the sprocket 110 is transmitted to the gear 115 on ratchet 51 instead of to the gear 114 fast on shaft 15, and the shaft 15 ceases to revolve, thus stepping feed drum .25. On stud 111 extending from sprocket k110 is supported a roller 116 which at the proper moment, once in each cycley when arriving in position 116', Fig. 1, engages with the roller 109, then in its tripped position 109', thereby resetting the pawl 56, and thus, bythe action ofy the planetaryk gears, to. restart the turning ,ofthe tobacco-feed shaft 15, 52 the crank farm 49, ,and the measuring arm 47after the disengagement yofthe 'latter from finger 45, `upon the 'downward'movement of the measuringjchamber v41, the feed sin position,

foi-the next charge as soon as the measuring chamberhas returned to starting position which occurs shortly before the engagement of roller 116 with roller169, the motion of shaft 60, which is also driven from shaft'9, being properly synchronized with the inotioni ,of shaft 15.

The measuring chamber, Figs. 2 to 5, consists of a spacing block 72 to which a bottom plate 41 and a top plate.73 a're'attached by bolts 74. Between the plates 4l and`73 is slidable the measuring wall 42 Vwhich isgui'ded by the rod 44 attached to it, and against which the plungers 75 are pressed by compression springs 7,1 passing through holes provided for this purposein block 72 and resting against brackets 76 clamped into grooves in yplate 41 by the bolts 74. To the end of rod.44 protruding from block 72 is fastened the nger 45 which engages with the arm 47 and thereby connects the' measuring chamber i with the density-controlling Weight 43.

` With veach end of the block 72 is integral a bracket 77 by which brackets the 'measuring chamber is pivoted on two, coaxial horizontal shafts 78 journaled in the vertical rails 65 which,

with their connecting yoke 79, constitute the sliding frame for the measuring chamber. The rails 65 slide in guides 80 attached to the frame 81 of the machine, their up-and-down motion being` controlled by cam 59 on shaft 60 through cam roller 62, bell-crank lever 63 on shaft 64, swivel pin 82,adjustable connecting bolt 83, and stud 84.

To the brackets 77 are attached angle bars 85 fitting between the plates 4l and 73 of the measuring chamber and forming the end walls of the same, one of the said angle-bars being made interchangeable to suit different widths of tobacco charges and for different widths of tobacco charges for different lengths of bunches, the measuring Wall 42, which fits into the space between the angle bars 85, being also made interchange- *Y able by providing a number of extra holes 86 in block 72 for the passage of one of the springs `71 with its plunger 75.

At their outer ends each of the pivot shafts 76 .l

carriesl a cam piece 87 and a guide block'88, the former adapted to engage with stationary pins 89 and the latter with stationary guides 90 carried vby frame 81. The. cam pieces 87 are designed to turn the measuring .chamber from the Theweight 48 having reset the cam ico Y horizontal to the Vertical position as the sliding frame starts on its downward movement, and the guide blocks 88 serve to hold the chamber in the vertical position the remainder of the way.

The inner ends of the shafts 78, adjacent to the measuring chamber, carry loosely mounted brackets 91 to which the gate 70 of the measuring chamber is attached and each of which carries a horizontally projecting pin 92. The hub of each of the brackets 91 has two axial V-grooves 93, 93 adapted to engage with a ball 94 bearing against the circumference of the hub by means of a coil spring 95 imbedded in a socket of brackets 77, one of the said grooves registering with the said ball whenthe gateis open and the other when the gate is closed. Instead of the grooves 93, fiat surfaces may be provided on the circum-A ferences of the hubs, the fiats of each hub engaging with a leaf spring mounted on brackets 77, to hold the brackets 91 in either the open or closed position of the gate.

The sliding frame 46 of knife 58, which is actuated by a cam lever 96 on shaft 64 having a cam roller 97 engaging with a track in cam 59 on shaft 60, Fig. 1, on each side has two noses 98Y and 99 adapted to engage with the pins 92 in brackets 91, the upper noses 98 closing the gate 70 on the descent of the knife and the lower noses .99.opening the gate on its ascent. To the sides of therrolling table 68 are station'arily attached cam pieces 100 adapted to engage the pins 92 and thereby to open the gate 70 whenthe chamer 4l arrives at its lowermost position in the loop 66 of the rolling apron.

The charge expelled by the measuring charnber is of a rectangular cross-section, the long side of which, for a given diameter of cigar bunch, is the greater, the smaller the height of the measuring chamber. In order to compress this rectangular crosssection into a more or less square form approaching the nal circular shape of the bunch into which it is to be rolled by the chianti belt, a movablevertical wall 101 extending across the entire width of the chianti belt 67 is supported near the loop 66 by vertical arms 102 pivoted on shaft 103. The arms 102 are held against the rear of rolling pin 69 by springs 164, so that on the forward motionof pin 69 the wall 161 bears against loop 67 and compresses the charge T', which then, by the shortening of the loop, has been raised and turned into a position in which the long side of the rectangular cross-section, is substantially horizontal, into a more or less square cross-section before the pin 69 closes the loop, a stop 195 being provided to arrest the forward motion of wall 101 when its compressing action has sufficiently accomplished its purpose.

When the measuring chamber 41 is in the horizontal tobacco-receiving position, Fig. 6, the cam pieces S7 are in engagement with pins 89 so that, upon the descent of the sliding frame 65, after the automatic stopping of the feed and the cutting of the charge, the measuring chamber, be-

sides descending, immediately begins to turn, itsv gate 76 having been closed upon the descent of the knife 58 by the engagement of the upper noses 98 of the knife frame 46 with the pins 92 of the gate brackets 91, as shown in dottedA lines in Fig. 7. As the gate 70 closes, the balls 94 on the hubs of brackets 91, which are lifted out of the first grooves 93 bythe turning of the brackets, drop intothe second grooves 93', Fig. 7,`thereby holding the gate closed after the measuring chamber leaves the horizontal position, the lower noses 99, which have the function to open the gate 70 upon the ascent of the knife prior to the re-starting of the feed, being shaped so as to clear the pins 92 upon thevturning of the measuring chamber.

The closed measuring chamber now completes its downward turn by means of the engagement of cam pieces 87 with pins 89 and when arrived in the vertical position, Fig. 8, the cams 87 leavev pins 89 and the guide blocks 88 engage with the guides 90, thereby holding the chamber in vertical position during the remainder of its downward travel during which it depresses the rollingapron .67, forming therein the loop 66. Shortly before the measuring chamber reaches its lowermost position, Fig. 9, the pins 92 engage with cam-brackets 100, attached to the sides of rolling table 68, thereby opening theV gate 76 while the chamber advances lto the end of its stroke. The charge in chamber 41 is then expelled, on the ensuing upward motion of the chamber, by

.the action of the springs 71 which hold the Ineasuring wall 42 againstthe charge in loop 66 until the chamber has risen above the charge, whereupon the chamber returns to its charge-receiving position, the cam pieces 87 reengaging pins 89 on its upward move and thereby turning the chamber into its horizontal position. On arriving in the latter position, the pins 92 engage with the noses 96 of the knife frame 46 which' has remained in its down position during the entire travel of the measuring chamber, thus closing the gate 70, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 9. 'Uponthe then ensuing ascentof the knife 5S, the

lower noses 99 engage the pins 92 and restore the gate into its open position, Fig. 6, ready for the next cycle of operations.

After the measuring chamber on its ascent has cleared the rolling-table 68, the rolling-pin 69 moves over the latter thereby doubling the apron J 67 which then is supported on the rod 106, over the charge in loop 66 and rolling the charge in the loop over the `fiat portion of the rolling-apron upon which a binder leaf has previously been deposited, thus producing a bunch which is dis-v l charged into a cradle, not shown, at theend of the table 68 by the movement of the rolling-pin.

The knife 58, by means of cam 59 and cam lever 96 is timed to operate at a given point of the cycle just prior to the descending movement of the measuring chamber 41 effected by cam lever 63 actuated by the same cam 59, the said operating point being so chosen as to allow ample time for the chamber to fill under even the worst possible conditions. Under normal conditions, therefore, the filled chamber will cause the arm 49 to release the pavvl 56 and thereby stop the tobacco feed some time before the knifeis operated and before the chamber then commences its descent,this intervening time interval being the greater than any possible variation in time required to fill the chamber.

The tobacco charge, being conned 'in the measuring chamber from the time it is cut off from the feed layer to the time it is orderly deposited into the rolling-apron loop, thus is kept perfectly intact and all disarrangement of the charge with its resulting disadvantages is elimi-v tary motion aswell by retaining the chain 20 of Fig. 1, a driven sprocket, not shown, then being splined to shaft 18 and held against one of the pedestals 118 by a suitable stationary member. The agitator 117 consists of a cylinder of suitable length having a serrated, grooved or otherwise roughenedsurface, its shaft ends18 being slidably supported in bearings provided in the pedestals 118 of the magazine shaft 13. One of the ends of the shaft 18 carries a collared shift sleeve'119 with which engages the rounded end 120 of a cam lever 12, the other end of which has a roller 122 in engagement with the Wave-shaped track of a cam 123, the said lever 121 being fulcrumed on a bracket 124 attached to pedestal 118. The shaft 125 of cam 123 is supported by a bracket of pedestal 118 and is driven by a chain 126 connecting a sprocket 127 on the cam shaft 125 with a sprocket 128 on shaft 13 and chain 14 drives shaft 13 to rotate the radial agitators 11 on hub l2. To prevent tobacco from being spilled sideways beyond the edges of feed belt 22 by the agitator 117,:side guides 129 are provided which strip, the agitator as it passes through them.

The gate 70 of the measuring chamber shown in Figs. 2 to 5 may ordinarily be omitted, since under the usual conditions the tobacco in the measuring chamber is packed sufficiently tight to remain undisturbed during the turning of the chamber, while in the vertical position of the chamber the rolling apron 67 forms an efficient closure of the same. The omission of the gate, of course, makes unnecessary the gate opening and closing devices abovedescribed, and the simple measuring chamber shown in Figs. 13 and 14 is obtained, consisting merely of the spacing block 72 with the brackets 77, of the side plates 41 and 73, of the adjustable end bars 85 and of the measuring wall 42 with its guide rod 44 and control finger 45. For expelling the charge, the measuring wall 42 is moved downward by a trip-lever 130 pivoted on a bracket 131 attached to slide frame 65 and bearing on the end vof guide rod 44. The lever 130 has a cam extension 132 which at the proper moment engages with a cam piece 133 fastened to Vthe. frame 81 of the machine, thereby depressing lever 130 which is held in engaging position with the'cam piece 133 by a spring 134 attached to frame 65. A short coil spring 135 placed on guide rod 44 prevents the wall `42 from sticking when at the end of the measuring chamber and returns the wall to the inner end of the measuring chamber upon the ascent of the latter. However, when the measuring chamber arrives in ller receiving position the guide rod is pressed inwardly by the arm V47 'to bring the wall 42 to the front end of the measuring chamber.Y As the filler-is fed into the measuring chamber it pushes the wall 42 and arm 47 back ragainst the resistance of the weight 43 until the filler reaches the desired density in the chamber, when the lever 53 carrying Weight 43 has been swung sufiiciently to permit the cam 54 to release the pawl 56 and stop the filler feed. Thereupon the-filler is severed and deposited in the rolling apron by the measuring chamber.

What is claimed is:A

1. The combination with a density-measuring chamber having a resiliently mounted yielding wall, of means for continuously feedng filler tobacco into said chamber against said wallfa gate pivoted on said chamber, mechanism for cutting off the ller said chamber and swinging said gate into position to confine Ythe severed charge ink said chamber, and means actuated Yby said yielding wall for stopping said feeding means when the ller in rsaid chamber reaches a predetermined density.

2. The combination with a density-measuring chamberhaving a resiliently mounted yielding wall, of means forcontinuously feeding filler tobacco into said chamber against said wall, a gate pivoted on said chamber, mechanism for cutting oir the ller in said Vchamber and swinging said gate into position to confine the severed charge in said chamber, and means actuated by said yielding wall for stopping said feeding means when the ller in said chamber reaches a predetermined density, said mechanism including a knife frame having a knife adapted to cut oif the filler in said chamber, and means for reciprocating said knife frame to sever the filler tobacco.

3. The combination with a density-measuring chamber having a resiliently mounted wall, of means for feeding ller tobacco into said chamber against said wall, and mechanism for stopping said Ymeans when the ller in said chamber reaches a predetermined density, said chamber having a spring-pressed guide rod passing therethrough and fixed to said wall, said rod being provided with an outwardly extending finger, and said ller feeding means including a filler feeding belt, and said mechanism including a planetary gear drive for said belt, and means engaged by said finger for stopping said planetary gear drive when Ythe filler in said chamber reaches a predetermined density.

4. The combination with a density-measuring chamber adapted to receive a charge of `iiller tobacco and having a wall resiliently mounted therein, of a gate pivoted on said chamber, means for swinging said gate about its pivot into position to confine the charge in said chamber, means fory simultaneously lowering and turning said chamber to bring it into charge ejecting position, and a device for swinging said gate out of charge confining position to permit the charge to be ejected from said chamber by said Wall.

5. The combination with a density-measuring chamber adapted to receive a charge of filler tobacco and havingv a wall resiliently mounted therein, of a gate pivoted on said chamber, means for swinging said gate about its pivot into position to confine the charge in said chamber, means for simultaneously lowering and turning said chamber to bring it into charge ejecting position, and a device for swinging said gate out of charge confining positionl to permit the charge to be ejected from said chamber by said wall, said chamber lowering and turning means includingr a reciprocating frame in which said chamber is pivoted, cam pieces on said chamber, and stationary pins adapted to engage said cam pieces` to turn said chamber while it is being lowered.

6. The combination with a density-measuring chamber adapted to receive a charge of filler tobacco and having a wall resiliently mounted therein, of a gate pivoted on said chamber, means for swinging said gate about its pivot intok position Yto confine the charge in said chamber, means for simultaneously lowering and turning said chamber to bring it into charge ejecting position, and a device for swingingsaid gate out of charge confining position to permit the charge to be ejected from said chamber by said Wall, said device including a stationary cam bracket adapted to engage said gate to swingit out of charge confining position;

'7. The combination with a chianti belt, of a rolling table, a density-measuring chamber having a resiliently mounted wall, means for continuously feeling ller tobacco into said chamber against said wall, a gate pivoted on said chamber, mechanism for cutting off the filler in said chamber and swinging said gate into position to confine the severed charge in said chamber, means actuated by said wall for stopping said filler feeding means when the filler in said chamber reaches a predetermined density, means for lowering said chamber into engagement with said belt, means for turning said chamber into charge ejecting position while it is being lowered, and a device on said table for swinging said gate out of charge coniining position toV permit said wall to eject the charge.

8. The combination with a chianti belt, of a rolling table, a density-measuring chamber having a resiliently mounted wall, means for continuously feeding iiller tobacco into said chamber against said wall, a gate pivoted on said chamber, mechanism for cutting off the ller in said chamber and swinging said gate into position to coni'ine the severed charge in said chamber, means actuated by said wall for stopping said filler feeding means when the ller in said chamber reaches a predetermined density, means for lowering said chamber into engagement with said belt, means for turning said chamber into charge ejecting position while it is being lowered, and a device on said table for swinging said gate out of charge conning position to permit said wall to eject the charge, said mechanism including a knife frame having a knife adapted to sever iiller in said chamber, means for reciprocating said frame to cut oi the filler in said chamber, and means on said knife frame for swinging said gate about its pivot into position to confine the severed chargerin said chamber.

9. The combination with a chianti belt, of a rolling table, a density-measuring chamber having a resiliently mounted wall, means for continuously feeding filler tobacco into said chamber against said wall, a gate pivoted on said chamber, mechanism for cutting oii the filler in said chamber and swinging said gate into position to conne the severed charge in said chamber, means actuated by said wall for stopping said ller feeding means when the filler in said chamber reaches a predetermined density, means for lowering said chamber into engagement with said belt, means for turning said chamber into charge ejecting position while it is being lowered, and a device on said table for swinging said gate out of charge confining position to permit said wall to eject the charge, said lowering means including a sliding frame on which said chamber is pivoted, and cam means for reciprocating said frame, and said turning means including cam pieces on said chamber and stationary pins engaging said cam pieces.

10. The combination with a chianti belt, of a rolling table, a density-measuring chamber having a resiliently mounted wall, means for continuously feeding filler tobacco into said cham-l ber against said wall, a gate pivoted on said chamber, mechanism for cutting oir the i'iller in said chamber and swinging said gate into position to confine the severed charge in said chamber, means actuated by said wall for stopping said filler feeding means when the filler in said cham- -ber reached a predetermined density, means for lowering said chamber into engagement with said belt, means forturning said chamber into charge ejecting position while it is being lowered, and a device on said table for swinging said gate out of charge confining position to permit said Wall to eject the'charge, said device including stationary cam brackets arranged on saidtable to engage said gate and swing it out of charge-conning position.

cluding a shaft, a feed drum on said shaft, a iiller y feeding belt running over saiddrum and adapted to feed iiller tobacco into said chamber, a driven sprocket loosely mounted on said shaft, a ratchet loosely mounted on said shaft and having a gear integral therewith, a sun gear iixed on said shaft, a stud on said sprocket carrying planetary gears engaging with said sun gear and the gear integral with said ratchet, la pivoted arm carrying a pawl atl one end and a roller at itsl otherend, a cam adapted to engage said pawl, a weighted lever connected to said cam to move it out of `engagement with said pawl, a measuring arm engaging said finger, and linkage connecting said measuring arm and cam, whereby said cam will be moved into position to press said pawl against said ratchet when the iiller tobacco attains the predetermined density in said chamber, a spring connected to said arm adjacent said pawl to withdraw it from said ratchet, and a roller on said stud arranged to engage the roller on said arm to press the pawl' against said ratchet against the tension of said spring.

13. The combination with a density measuring chamber having a wall mounted to yield under pressure, cf means for continuously feeding tobacco into said chamber against said wall, mechanism for cutting oif the filler in said chamber, means actuated by said yielding wall for stopping said feeding means when vthe ller in said chamber reaches a predetermined density, `a chianti v belt arranged to receive the iiller and means for moving said chamber into engagement with said belt to depress it to form a loop therein and then withdraw said chamber to permit saidV wall to' eject the iiller into said loop.

la. The combination with a density measuring chamber having a wall yieldingly mounted therein, of means for continuously feeding tobacco into said chamber against said wall, mechanism for cutting off the filler in said chamber, means actuated by said wall for stopping said feeding means when the filler in said chamber reaches a predetermined density, a chianti belt arranged to receive the filler, means for moving said chamber into engagement with said belt to depress it to form a loop therein, and a device for giving said wall a movement to eject the filler into said loop.

15. The combination with a density measuring chamber having a wall yieldingly mounted therein, ofmeans for continuously feeding tobacco into said chamber against said wall, mechanism for cutting ofi the iiller in said chamber, means actuated by said wall for stopping said feeding meanswhen they filler in said'chamber reaches a predetermined density, a chianti belt arranged to receive the ller, means'for moving said chamber into engagement with said belt to depress it to form a loop therein, and a device for giving said Walla movement to eject the filler' into said'loop, said device including' spring-pressed plungers bearing against said' wall.

n 16. The combination with a density measuring chamber havinga wall mounted therein, of means for continuously feeding tobacco into said chamber' against said wall, mechanism vfor cutting off the filler insaid chamber, means actuated by said wallv` for stopping said feeding means when the ller in said chamber reaches a predetermined density, a chianti belt) arranged to receive the ller, means for moving said chamber into engagement withsaid belt todepress it to form axl'oop therein, and a device for giving said wall a` movement to eject the ller into said loop, said devi'ceincluding a reciprocating frame in which said chamber is mounted, a guide rod slidably mounted in said chamberl and secured to saidwall, a stationary camv piece, a trip-lever pivoted on' said frame and` adaptedto engagel saidv cam piece during` thefmovement of said frame, and a spring yield-ingly urging saidl trip-lever into engagement with said campiece, whereby engagement of the tri'pl'ever with' the cam piece during' the downward movement of' the frame roundv the material of the' bunch;

18. The combination withy a density-measuringA chamber having an end Wall resiliently' mounted thereinI and adapted to receive a chargeof filler tobacco, of a cli'ianti'belt, and means forv lowering said chamber into engagement with said belt todepressv it to form aloop therein and then withdraw sai'dV chamber to permit said wall `to eJ'ect the charge intolsaid loop. f

19. The-combination with a density-measuring' chamberI adapted to receive a charge of filler tobecco while it is in: ai horizontalposition and having a wallresiliently mounted therein, of means for' simultaneously lowering and turning said chamber to bring it intovertical charge ejecting position, said means includingV a reciprocating frame in which said chamber is pivoted, cam pieces on said chamber, stationary pins adapted to engage said cam piecesl to turn said chamber while itis being lowered, vertical stationary y deliver'ller tobacco to'said belt, a driven shaft Y in said magazine, radial' rods onsaid shaft adapt'- ed to agita-te the tobacco i'nthe magazine, a pluralityy of driven chainsicooperating with said belt to feed theI ller tobacco' to said chamber, and an axially reciprocating grooved roller for agitatingV thetobacco onsaid belt beforel it reaches said chains.

21. Means for feeding lllertobacco comprising a ller tobacco feeding" belt, aI magazine arranged to deliver filler tobacco to said belt, va driven shaft inl said magazine, radial rods'on said shaft adapted to^ agitate the tobaccoin` said magazine, a plurality of driven chains cooperating with said belt to feed the tobacco, a grooved roller axially reciprocating transversely of said belt for agitating the tobacco on said belt before it reaches said chains, and means for reciprocating said roller axially.

Y 212. Means for feeding lle-r tobacco, comprising a ller tobacco feeding belt, a magazine having an outlet arranged todeliver ller tobacco to said belt, a g-roovedroller extending transversely above said-'belt beyond said outlet, and means for reciprocating said roller axially to level off theA tobacco on said belt;

23: Means for feeding llertobacco, comprising a ller tobacco-'feeding' belt, a grooved roller extending transversely above said belt, and means for' reciprocating said roller axially to level off the-tobacco-on said belt.

HJALMAR E. CARLSON.

ice 

